Australian Motorcycle News Vol 69 Issue 05

ALEX RINS’ ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ last corner manoeuvre at Silverstone wasn’t the only reason I know we’re not only among a Golden Era of MotoGP right now, but we’re also witnessing a paddock brimming with talent, passion, win-at-all-costs attitudes and undiluted love for what they are doing. The paddock mood dictates a watchable championship and the place is alive with the kind of thinking that makes me want to watch it, even when one bloke is doing most of the winning. The footage of our Jack Miller arriving at the practice start area on the nose of his $2m Ducati, to the applause of Aleix Espargaro and encouragement of Marc Marquez, is a big part of it for me. Here are the top blokes in a high-pressure world championship mucking around like the…

PETER HICKMAN, WHO won this year’s Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix Supersport races on Triumph’s 675 Daytona, launched the 765 Moto2 replica at the Silverstone MotoGP last weekend. Just 1530 of the first-ever official Moto2 Dorna-licensed motorcycle will be produced. A year after the old 675cc Daytona was dropped, the Moto2-derived 765cc version of Triumph’s three-cylinder engine brings it into line with its most obvious rival, the MV Agusta F3 800. While the update means the Daytona is back, it’s not here for long in this form. The limited run means there are 765 being built for the USA and Canada, and another 765 for Europe, Asia and the rest of the world. Each will be individually numbered on their billet aluminium top triple clamp. Triumph plays up the Moto2 connections…

DUCATI’S TWO MOST important models for 2020 have been caught undergoing not-so-secret final road testing in Italy. The latest photos of the Streetfighter V4, revealed in prototype form at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, reveal the headlight design. They also confirm there will be two versions – a Showasuspended base model and an Öhlinssprung ‘S’ derivative. Most notably, changes include the fairing-mounted winglets of the Pikes Peak racer, which were absent on the previously-seen, basic road version of the Streetfighter. The new video, which circulated on social media, also shows the V4’s final exhaust system, identical to the 157.5kW, 1103cc, street Panigale V4. This confirms Ducati’s stated intention that the Streetfighter be the world’s most powerful naked production bike. Currently the 153kW MV Agusta Brutale 1000 that holds the title. The new…

WE’VE SEEN DOCUMENTS confirming ‘RC’ and ‘RR’ versions of MV Agusta’s new Brutale 1000 to sit alongside the limited-production Serie Oro. They will be cheaper versions, without limits on production numbers, but won’t lose anything to the Serie Oro in outright performance. Expect them to be half what the $A71,250 Serie Oro costs in Europe. As with other MV Agustas, the ‘RR’ will be the cheapest version. It’s likely to swap the Serie Oro’s electronic Öhlins suspension for a Marzocchi fork and a Sachs rear shock, as used on the Brutale 800. You can also expect the electronic kit to be toned down, but type-approval documents show all three versions have the same 153kW peak power and weigh 208kg ready-to-ride.…

H-D wants the cruise control to be able to communicate with other bikes IT FEELS LIKE the calm before the storm. We all know Harley-Davidson is gearing up for some huge model announcements later this year, including a streetfighter and adventure-tourer. It has already officially launched the electric LiveWire that we rode last issue (AMCN Vol 69 No 04). Now it has announced the first of its 2020 models, the return of the slammed Low Rider S, a CVO version of its three-wheeled Tri Glide and a new suite of rider aids on selected models. It all sounds great, but this is just the beginning of a new era for the company that began in 1903. We know H-D is working on a DOHC, liquid-cooled engine for some of its future models and we…

THE NEXT BIG technological leap for motorcycles is adaptive cruise control and Harley-Davidson is working on a version tailored specifically to its core customer base. The new system hasn’t been officially announced, but a patent application describes how it works. As with all adaptive cruise systems, the idea is to keep a constant distance from vehicles ahead by modulating the throttle and brakes automatically. Other designs, notably Ducati’s, use a radar to simply measure the distance from the vehicle ahead, while Harley’s incorporates a camera setup. This means it can distinguish a motorcycle from a car and, when dealing with a motorcycle, allow a rider to adopt a staggered road position from that bike. Harley also wants the cruise control to be able to communicate with other bikes fitted with the same system.…